Denver Post high school sports editor Neil Devlin posts his preps mailbag during the high school season.

In this installment of the Prep Sports Mailbag, he takes four questions, including an inquiry on Mr. Colorado basketball frontrunners.

Keep an eye out for next month’s installment. Send your Q’s in an email to prepmailbag@denverpost.com. Be sure to include your name and hometown.

Who are the front-runners for Mr. Colorado basketball?— Troy, Littleton

Yo, Troy: Actually, with the best rounds of games to come, we have about a dozen solid candidates.

We’ve had lots of signees, which is unusual for us, but it’s good for our state. We’re also guard-heavy, but I’d have to state that Lewis-Palmer’s Josh Scott is in the lead.

Scott is recognized nationally, for what that’s worth — I’m always a little iffy with that stuff, as I wonder how many of these kids are actually seen by the same folks — but he has made huge strides in running, setting up down low, catching the ball and going to the basket.

He’s also a reasonable free-throw shooter. His endurance is good for a 6-foot-10 kid and his attitutde is even better. Terrific GPA, too. Seriously, Scott has a chance to do well with coach Tad Boyle and Colorado.

Do you like having the 5A and 4A boys and girls basketball final fours in Boulder?— Tracy, Denver

Yo, Tracy: In all honesty, no. Yes, the Coors Events Center is nice, in a good area, has all the amenities, the excitement of a college campus, etc. However, for me, it should be the Denver Coliseum. Great tradition for basketball, as well as shows. I’m always for adding to history. Plus, it’s centrally located, easy access, lots of parking, shorter walk to the arena, terrific city folks who run it, etc.

Folks down south hate maing the drive to Boulder. Denver-area fans aren’t that crazy about it, either. The Coliseum has made major improvements in locker rooms (real nice!) and once it gets a new floor, I think the CHSAA will move it.

Would an all-classification state basketball tournament work here? What about combining 4A and 5A?— Drew, Colorado Springs

Yo, Drew: Don’t get me started on that one. Fact: We have too many classifications here. Period. Anyway, the idea of an all-class tourney would work for me, but certainly not for the folks here. Everyone wants a piece of the pie, as in a state title. It’s as if it’s their God-given right. The focus has been blurred for too long. Good idea by you, but selling that one would be a huge task.

It would seem that the a lot of the prep news has been focused upon Valor Christian and the “black balling” that seemed to happen. From your coverage, does it appear that the issue is throughout all sports, or is this a football issue that has blown up?— Eric, Lakewood

Yo, Eric: I can assure you that nothing concerning Valor Christian has been blown up by us. Trust me, we have better things to do.

Personally, I have no issues with the folks at Valor, they’re all good with me and I enjoy a lot of their kids, and that goes in all sports. However, Valor took a bunch of ire on principle because it came in as a private school — Coloradans in the public ranks already gave them a strike for that one — and the problems that the school has encountered clearly have been self-enduced and self-generated.

The school’s mission is great, but the recruiting charges are real. At the last CHSAA meeting, I was convinced that we saw the following: the rest of the schools want nothing to do with Valor until it cleans up its act. And it goes beyond football, as that game clearly is the most visible and followed.

I’m a past 12-year Catholic school guy from Philly, so I was exposed to it decades ago. And I’m all for Valor succeeding, but it needs to convinve our state officials and other schools that it’s on the up-and-up. Right or wrong, that’s what’s happening.

Yo, Jim: It’s always a big decision for a young man, so Alex took his time. Plus, kids struggle with coaching changes and there were a few at the schools Alex thought he was going to, so it made him take some steps back.

Frankly, I applaud his situation. He did it on his terms without any selfishness, he did it smartly, he took his time; and he made sure he landed at a place he was comfortable with, Auburn.

You have to understand, with all of the Internet geeks, recruiters, media and so forth, this whole process has gotten way out of hand. In my mind, changes are in order. The college coaches have passed on anything to do with honor, so they’re a big part of it, too.

I talked with Alex before he made his choice, then after. I congratulated him. He didn’t let it eat him up. He also didn’t go on TV and put on a hat from 10 or so sitting in front of him as so many others have done. Wish we had more kids like him.